Game-board.



No. 709,66L Patented Sept. 23, I902.

A. ssonAn.

GAME BOARD.

' (Application filed Sept. 25, 1900. Renewed Feb 14, 1902.)

(N0 Modem 2 Sheets$heet l.

filnemyem 2 0 m 3a 2. t p e s d 6 n 8 I- a P D MR A 0 B SE AM .A A6 H 9 0 7 0 N (Application filed Sept. 25, 1900. Renewed Feb. 14, 1902.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES ANTENOR ASSORATI,

OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,661, dated September 23, 1902.

Application filed. September 25,1900. Renewed February 14, 1902. Serial No. 94,132- (No model.)

To all rah/omit may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTENOR ASSORATI, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Game-Board, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a game'board of the billiard type, with the object in view of providing apparatus which shall be simple, inexpensive, and durable and well adapted to test the skill of the player.

The gist of my invention lies in the means for utilizing gravity instead of a resilient cushion for returning the ball from the margin of the board or table; and it consists, broadly, in a board or table having a level central floor or field and a downwardly-inclined marginal floor or field which merges into the level central floor or field.

My invention further consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a view of the board in side elevation, showing in full lines the cover in position over the board and in dotted lines the position of the cover partially removed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the board with cover removed. Fig. 3 is a view of the same in side elevation. Fig. 4. is a vertical central section. Fig. 5 is a top plan view in detail of one of the pockets. Fig. 6 is a section in detail looking outwardly through one of the pocket-openings, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5.

The level central floor or field of the boardor table is denoted by a. In the present instance the board or table is circular in form; but this is not an essential, but rather a preferred form. At the margin of the central field or floor a there is a downwardly-inclined floor or field b, which merges at its lower edge into the level field a. The pitch of inclined marginal field b and its width are matter of choice, my present preference being a pitch of about ten degrees (10) and a sufficient Width to cause a ball rolling down the incline solely under the influence of gravity to gain sufficient impulse to cause it to travel across the level field at its widest portion. The marginal field b is surrounded by a rim 0 of sufficient height to prevent the balls from leaving the table, and exterior to the rim 0 I provide a channel (1 for receiving the balls when the board or table is converted into a pool-table. The exterior channel (Z is interrupted at intervals by ridges e, in the present instance four in number, located a quadrants distance apart, the crown of each ridge 6 being centrally opposite the opening fin the rim through which the ball is to be forced, as into a pocket on the ordinary billiard-table. The ball, once through the opening f, will find its way, under the influence of gravity, down one or the other side of the ridge 6 into the channel d, which serves as a pocket. The opening f in the rim, which forms the mouth of the p0cket,'is closed by a removable door or gate, in the present instance a vertically-sliding gate g, which for convenience is fitted to slide into position in the abutment h, located at the outer edge of the ridge 6 opposite the mouth of the pocket. This arrangement provides a rest for the gate g when removed from the rim and enables it to be utilized as a portion of'the abutment-wall. It is obvious, however, that the abutment might be constructed intact and the gate be laid aside when removed, if so desired.

The board or table may be supported upon a standard 1 of any well-known or approved form and may be covered by a folding cover j, which gives it the appearance of a table and renders it useful as a table when not used for playing the game.

The balls employed are indicated by k and may be the ordinary billiard-balls or maybe reduced in size to correspond to the reduced size of the board or table. They are supposed to be manipulated by a cue, as in the ordinary billiard and pool games.

one or both covered with cloth suitable for the purpose, and the rim 0 may be faced with cloth or paper to lessen the sound from the impact of the ball.

The structure presents means for securing The portions a and b of the field may be a return effect Whenever a ball is driven onto the incline, which effect will be in strict proportion to the distance it is driven up the incline and the direction in which it is driven, and this return effect will not be subject to either Weather conditions or age of elastic cushions as is now common on billiard-tables. The board is-easily accessible for both men and Women, and the element of chance is no greater than in ordinary billiards.

It is obvious that changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangementof the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth; but

What I claim isl. A billiard-table comprising a central level floor or field, a marginal inclined floor or field and a rim uprising from and surrounding the inclined floor or field, the said rim being substantially nonresilient and forming a stop for changing the direction of the ball while the inclined floor serves to impart to the ball its return motion, substantially as set forth.

2. A game board or table comprising a central level floor or field, a marginal inclined floor or field, a rim surrounding the inclined floor or field, a ball-receiving channel exterior to the said rim and ridges interposed in said channel, the said rim being provided with openings opposite the said ridges, and the exterior wall of the channel being provided with abutments opposite the said openings, whereby a ball, after passing through the opening onto the ridge, will find its way along the channel under the in fiuence of gravity, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 15th day of September, 1900.

ANTENOR ASSORATI.

Witnesses FREDK. HAYNES, EDWARD VIESER. 

